Offbeat

Dangerous four vagina trends of 2017

Every year new bizarre beauty trends come to light, but 2017 saw an unusual influx in dangerous vagina cleansing practices.

Doctors had to issue several warnings as unhygienic “designer vagina” trends took off online.

Here are four of the beauty trends that you should never try at home:

1. Glitter bombing

Women started inserting glitter capsules into their vaginas in a strange “glitter bombing” craze. A company called Pretty Woman Inc has come up with vagina “passion dust intimacy capsules”.

They describe the product as “a sparkalised capsule that is inserted into the vagina at least one hour prior to having sexual intercourse”. But medical experts were quick to warn against the intimate trend.

Writing on her blog, gynaecologist Dr Jen Gunter said: “The goo might damage the good vaginal bacteria leading to infections as well as in increased risk of STI.

“Just because something is safe for your lips, for example glitter lip gloss, doesn’t mean it is safe for the vagina.”

2. Yoni oil

The oil, which is sold on sites like Etsy, claimed to produce an at-home vaginal rejuvenation.

Holistic sellers said the oil could banish common vaginal problems such as bacterial or fungal vaginitis, yeast infections, itching, vaginal dryness and unpleasant odours.

But medics were quick to warn ladies against this “dangerous” trend too.

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) spokesperson Dr Vanessa Mackay told, “Perfumed products, soaps, gels, antiseptics, and vaginal douches can all affect the pH levels and the healthy balance of bacteria in the vagina, and cause irritation. Anyone who is worried about the way their vagina smells, or has noticed irritation or itching, should seek advice from their GP or pharmacist as they may have an infection that needs treatment.”

3. Cucumber cleansing

Later in the year it came to light that some ladies were using cucumbers to “cleanse” their vaginas. The craze involves a woman inserting a peeled cucumber into her vagina and twisting it around for 20 minutes.

Bloggers have claimed that the high vitamin content of the cucumber sanitises the genitals and gives it a “pleasant odour”, while reducing your risk of an STIs.

However, Canadian gynaecologist Dr Jen Gunter said, doing this with a cucumber can actually increase your risk of a sexually transmitted disease.

Dr Jen said: “This idea that some kind of vaginal cleansing is required, be it a peeled cucumber or the ‘feminine washes’ sold at drugstores, is misogyny dressed up as health care and I am having none of it.

“Vaginas are not dirty. Study after study after study tells us that douches, cleanses, steams, vinegar, pH balancing products, aloe, colloidal silver, garlic or whatever else passing as the vaginal snake oil du jour at best do nothing but have real potential for harming good bacteria or disrupting the mucosal surface.”

4. Detoxing pearls

A “vagina potpourri” trend emerged with women using tea-bag-like balls to “detox” their wombs.

According to Embrace Pangaea – an online shop that sells the balls – vaginal pearls contain ancient herbs that are great for cleansing the uterus.

But experts warned that the pearls could actually lead to infection and would probably cause more harm than good.

Dr Vanessa Mackay, spokesperson for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) told Daily Star Online: “The vagina is designed to clean itself with natural secretions and should not require a ‘detox’

“It contains good bacteria, which are there to protect it."

"If these bacteria are disturbed it can lead to infection, such as bacterial vaginosis or thrush, and inflammation.”

Here a doctor answers all your embarrassing vagina questions, from clitoris size to vaginal discharge and pain after sex.